Employee spotlight: Andrea Keogh, IDD and pediatric program manager

Andrea Keogh, IDD (intellectual and developmental disabilities) and pediatric program manager at Evergreen Health, specializes in serving our patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Andrea joined team Evergreen in October of 2021, and began her role as IDD and pediatric program manager in February of 2024.

Andrea was one of the team members we gained when the services for individuals with IDD at People, Inc’s Elmwood Health Center were merged into Evergreen Health’s location at 800 Hertel Ave in 2021. This collaboration between People, Inc and Evergreen Health has let us better serve our IDD patients by co-locating People, Inc’s services, like rehabilitative health services, counseling, and People First Mobility, with Evergreen Health’s medical and supportive services for people with disabilities.

Though she’s only been with Evergreen for a few years, Andrea draws on 30 years of experience in serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Her first position out of college, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, was a group home position with People, Inc. Within a few months she began working as a medical liaison, assisting group home individuals with their medical appointments, ordering medications, and ensuring their medical paperwork met New York State regulations.

Andrea moved up to a management position within People, Inc, and assisted the team with opening a new Medically Frail group home, where she served as program manager and ran day-to-day operations. She then moved on to a care coordinator position, where she stayed for 18 years until becoming a part of team Evergreen through the merger with People, Inc.

Andrea embodies our values of providing unconditionally affirming care, especially to disabled communities who have historically fallen through the cracks of the healthcare system. Read on for a glimpse into Andrea’s work, in her own words.

What services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities does Evergreen provide?

At our 800 Hertel Ave location, we serve patients with disabilities with all functioning levels: those who are verbal and non-verbal; and those who live independently, in supportive apartments, 24-hour staff group homes, or with their loved ones. We also serve adult and pediatric patients from the general population at this location.

We provide medical case management to help patients with and without disabilities get connected to the medical and supportive services they need, like referrals to medical specialists, transportation and housing assistance, or at-home care coordination.

We help patients with disabilities address factors that impact their health, wellness, and access to services – for example, we complete transportation forms that let individuals with disabilities access the NFTA’s Paratransit Access Line service, Medicaid Cab Services or Senior Van services.

Finally, our providers at 800 Hertel Ave are trained in providing culturally appropriate, respectful and affirming primary and specialty care to folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We are so lucky to have Dr. Aronica, Dr. Zambron and Dr. Blymire. These three providers are certified to assess the capacity of patients with IDD for guardianship and to sign health care proxies.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

Every day is different!

The first thing I like to do each day is look at our triages: messages from staff requesting assistance as they connect patients with services like transportation, mental health care, or crisis intervention. Triage messages on a given day might include helping patients with adult and child protective concerns, helping patients find Durable Medical Equipment providers that are covered by their insurance, helping patients obtain OPWDD (Office of People with Developmental Disabilities) services and benefits, or connecting patients with home aid services, mental health providers, or medical specialists.

Each day I support our team of medical case managers and providers as they see patients, follow up on referrals, and schedule transportation. I plan the day by looking at our providers’ schedules and making sure they have the information needed to assist each patient.

As a part of Evergreen’s leadership, I attend management and operational meetings, and am a member of the organization’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Guiding Coalition. I’ve started a new Employee Resource Group called Embrace, Empower, Include, where we have discussions around how we can all best support disabled communities. I represent Evergreen at events geared toward our IDD and pediatric populations, like school health fairs, Developmental Disability Day events, and the Disability Pride Festival.

I also attend meetings with Cerebral Palsy of WNY, a group of several agencies in New York State that serve the IDD population. We fight for access to services for this specialized population, as well as for optimal billing for the agencies that serve them.

Why is it important to provide services specifically for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities?

The disabled community has been historically marginalized by the healthcare system, and individuals with disabilities don’t always get the specialized and respectful care they need.

People with disabilities often face multiple co-morbidities and may need to see several specialists. I believe that training providers and support staff to communicate with patients in a supportive, kind manner is imperative.

Individuals with disabilities may require help with documentation in order to meet state regulations, and not a lot of clinics are willing to take the extra time. Without the proper documentation, people with IDD are in danger of losing their services, like respite, group home, day program, and at-home aid services. This is why our providers are dedicated to meeting the specific needs of individuals with IDD in an affirming environment.

Why is Disability Pride important?

I spoke to one of our patients this week who is on the board for the Disability Pride Festival, and she said it perfectly: she sees herself as someone who empowers others. People with disabilities don’t always have a voice: they are still fighting for marriage equality, as people with disabilities who get married could lose their services or benefits like transportation, accessible housing, and opportunities to work with or without accommodations.

People with disabilities vote, they work, they live in our community and want to be included. They want to go to school and college. They want all the same freedoms that everyone has and deserves.

This year will be my second year representing Evergreen at the Buffalo Pride Disability Festival. Join us in celebrating disability pride on Friday, July 26, from 2 to 6pm at Canalside (44 Prime St)!

We’re accepting new adult patients at all of our locations  and pediatric patients at our 800 Hertel Ave location – call us at 716.847.2441 or fill out our new patient request form to learn more about becoming a new patient.